What's Happened Here
by writealot
Summary: Hermione falls thru the Veil the same Veil that killed Sirius Black nine years ago but rather than waking up dead Hermione finds herself in a parallel universe with an alive Sirius to greet her. But this world is terrible too for there is a new Dark Lord
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

**Prologue**

Hermione stood before the Veil, heart pounding painfully. Soft voices were drifting to her from just the other side. The harder she tried to listen, the more distant and unclear they became.

They could've been saying her name and she wouldn't know.

Uncertain, Hermione took a miniscule step forward. Perhaps if she was just a little closer she could make out -

"Hermione!"

Hermione jerked. Ron's voice was calling to her, not from the Veil but from behind.

"You don't have to do this!"

The end of his sentences were drifting off. Even less clear than the growing voices from that swinging curtain.

"HERMIONE!"

But she had taken another uncertain step forward, enough for the magic of the veil to caress her clothes, hair, cheeks. It pulled her closer now, faster and faster but also gently.

"HERMI - "

Then she could not hear his voice at all.

-o-O-o-

**Chapter One**

It was like waking up from a Stupefy. Her body felt leaden and prickles attacked every inch of her skin as the young witch slowly awoke from unconsciousness. Her head thrummed and her ears were the first thing she was regaining use of. Slowly, she could hear urgent voices above her.

"Come on. Wake up. _Wake up_!" The voice sounded a long way off, perhaps further than Hermione wished to go. She imagined ignoring those pleas and drifting into darkness, although uncertain and dark it looked quite comfortable. She'd fallen through the Veil after all, she was dead and could ignore desperate pleas if she wanted.

Hermione sighed. The dark had been pleasant but the voice was insistent. Her sense of feeling was also coming back and she could feel hands grasping her shoulders. Maybe if she opened her eyes to...

Then another voice joined the first, familiar and kind, but impossible. "Perhaps, you should let the girl go."

A shudder ran through the brightest witch of her age, she was undeniably brilliant but maybe the brilliance had become madness because that voice... it could not be possible. Hermione's eyes fluttered, she could not believe it was true and had to confirm that the second voice did not exist. Shock was forcing her into action. "Dumbledore?" She was blinded, bright lights surrounded her and a figure was crouching over her, still painfully squeezing her shoulders and obscuring her view of her long dead professor. At last her vision was clearing and she blinked earnestly to rid herself of the black dots and stars. "Dumbledore?" She said again, realizing that the first time she'd spoken her mouth had not obeyed her.

"She's alive!"

There were a few cheers and shouts but Hermione ignored this, instead throwing the figure in her way aside and looking around anxiously for the owner of that second voice.

At last the white beard and striking blue eyes came into view. Standing at the foot of her hospital bed was Dumbledore, a man that had been dead for eight years.

"You - your... but I - " Tears pricked Hermione's brown eyes, confused but relishing the wonderful dream. Or maybe she was truly dead and had joined Dumbledore in the afterlife. Another look around confirmed her theory as she noticed Sirius standing on her right, the figure who'd been calling to her and obstructing her view of her professor. "Sirius!"

"Oh Hermione. I'm so sorry."

Hermione blinked away tears and wiped at her cheeks in embarrassment. Her first thought was of her best friend, Harry would have been in equal parts jealous and sad that she was seeing these men once more. "Harry - he's missed you so much Sirius I - " Hermione paused, a man standing on her left had finally caught her notice. "Remus!"

Sirius suddenly grasped her hand, "You fell through the Veil? Is that what happened?" Hermione paused, meeting Sirius' frightened gaze.

"Well, yes I- I think so." She was uncharacteristically unsure of her answer. Sirius' fright was rubbing off on her. "What's wrong? Where are my parents?" For it had been many years since Hermione had seen them, her mother had died of pancreatic cancer and her father had died six months later of heartbreak. She had expected them to greet her at death's door, smiling and hugging her for reassurance. It was a small comfort that she had envisioned since their deaths, that she would see them once again and yet they were not here.

She was unaware that more tears were burning bright trails down her dirtied face, ash and dirt completely obscured her creamy skin and was embedded in her untamable hair.

"I would've thought - " She stumbled on her words as her eyes roamed.

Finally, Hermione was taking stock of the others in the room. Men with fire for hair and with freckles dashed across their long noses. People she had left alive and whole. "Bill? Charlie?" But this was not the Bill she knew, the one with terrible werewolf scars to cover his handsome face, instead this Bill was whole and the scars weren't the only thing missing, the stunning blonde, Fleur, was missing from his arm. Beside them stood a stoic Mr. Weasley, "Mr. Weasley? What - " Could they have died with her? But they'd been so careful with their plans she couldn't imagine how -

"Hermione." There was a slight pressure on her fingers and Hermione looked down to see that Sirius still grasped her desperately, like a man drowning. "Hermione, you have to tell us what happened."

"I don't see how it could matter anymore." There was a deafening silence that filled the small room. Hermione felt her heart sinking, confused by their reactions and all the people that shouldn't be here, a sliver of doubt entered her mind, "A- am I - " Hermione looked away from Sirius and withdrew her hand. "d- d- dead?"

"Of course not dear." Dumbledore spoke once more, transfixing Hermione with his calming voice but the words surprised her. She was happy and yet not, for if she was not dead where was she?

"But you- and Sirius and Remus..." Sirius' shoulders began to shake and his head collapsed on the bed. She realized he was sobbing when horrible retching sounds, although slightly covered by the bed sheets, could still be heard issuing from the grown man.

"Remus, if you please." Dumbledore gave the werewolf a gentle but stern look to the stunned man. Eventually Remus regained movement and he quickly went to Sirius' side and grasped his shoulders.

"Come on, Padfoot."

Slowly Sirius rose to his feet and leaned heavily against his friend as they left the room but before they could leave Sirius grasped the doorframe and looked at Hermione with a panicked expression. "Harry! Is Harry alright!" he gasped and although Remus was tugging him, Sirius would not budge.

Hermione's smile turned sad at the thought that she would not see her friend for quite a long time, although she still wished for him to have a long and healthy life, he deserved it and she loved him. But Hermione did not believe Dumbledore that she was not dead. How could she, when she'd just fallen through the Veil to come to a place where she was with men she had not seen in many years. So it was with a quivering voice she answered, "Oh Sirius you would've been so proud of him, he killed _him_ Sirius. And he's married Ginny and they have two sons already. He named one of them after you of course." Tears cascaded down her cheeks as Sirius' smile turned beatific.

"Thank God."

And then Sirius left the room willingly.

The others trickled out after him, casting glances at her as they passed the doorframe. She watched each of them leave, half the Order must have been in there and the thought that they were all dead as well saddened her.

"There is no easy way to approach this topic, Ms. Granger."

Hermione had almost forgotten that Dumbledore was still with her but she gave him a hopeful smile. "Perhaps my parents could - "

Dumbledore's expression stopped her. It was full of a deep pain that frightened Hermione when for the last few minutes she had been coming to terms with her death, especially now that she saw she would be among friends while they waited for all their loved ones to join them.

"Ms. Granger you have been through a great deal and although I do not wish to make your grief deeper I must enforce my previous statement and the gravity of your situation."

Hermione could only stare and nod in ascent, confused beyond belief and slightly frustrated.

Dumbledore stroked his beard as he met Hermione's stare with his normally twinkling gaze. Now the orbs of blue seemed lifeless and full of regret. "You are not dead," he said again, "I am afraid the same fate that befell your friend Sirius has also been placed on your young shoulders."

"Sir, I don't understand. Sirius was killed nearly nine years ago."

Dumbledore sighed, "Perhaps it would be best to start at the beginning."

When Hermione did not interrupt, he nodded as if confirming something.

"Many years ago a prophecy was given that marked a baby as Voldemort's equal."

"Harry."

"Yes... but the boy's parents were killed and he was raised by his godfather, Sirius Black."

Hermione gasped, "Sir, what are you talking about - "

Dumbledore raised his hand to stop her. Once she'd stopped he dropped it again and began to wring his old hands together. Neither was scarred or withered like the left had been in her sixth year and she remembered Bill's inconspicuously clear skin as well.

"Hermione... when you fell through that Veil, I'm afraid you were taken away from the world you knew. The world where your friend Sirius is from also." Hermione's heart froze in her chest. "It took us many years to figure out what had happened when we discovered the body of Sirius in the ministry lying next to a stone arch with a sinister, loose curtain. But we eventually learned... that Sirius had traveled from- from- "

"Sir?" Hermione questioned, for Dumbledore had faltered and his face was ghostly pale, scaring her even further.

Dumbledore took a deep breath, "You have traveled from a different dimension Ms. Granger. You and Sirius, when you fell through that Veil, you traveled across time and space to a parallel universe. A world where your dear friend, Harry Potter has- has- " At this, to Hermione's alarm, tears appeared in Dumbledore's eyes. "It's all my fault you see, if I'd only seen the madness within- "

"Sir, Harry," Hermione found her voice at last when worry over her friend's welfare outweighed her surprise of what Dumbledore was suggesting, "What has happened to Harry?"

It took Dumbledore a long time to say his next words, as if saying them aloud made it even more terrible, "He is now a Dark Lord. Harry has become even more cruel and vindictive, more cunning than even his predecessor..." Dumbledore's voice shook.

"How could Harry ever become that way? I don't understand, even in another u-universe he is still the same brilliant, brave and honorable wizard." Hermione stumbled on the word 'universe', although it was becoming more clear what exactly had happened to her, a large part of her was rejecting it violently. It was insane, impossible. And yet she could not see Dumbledore lying to her...

"During the Battle of the Ministry, his godfather was killed, Harry's pain was so great that a torrent of his natural magic attacked the source of all Harry's pain and suffering all these years. He killed Voldemort and Bellatrix with pure revenge and hatred. It's not how it should've happened... I was sure that once he had recovered from using so much of his wild magic that he would be alright. But he was still mad. I could see it in his eyes, as if Bellatrix Lestrange looked back at me..." Here Dumbledore paused. Hermione had been unable to speak through all of this.

"It sounds terrible."

Dumbledore sighed, "You don't have to worry about such things, my dear. Somehow we will return you and Sirius to your own world and you can leave this terrible place behind."

Hermione could say not a word. Horrified by even the idea of an evil Harry, a Harry worse than even Voldemort.

Dumbledore stood. "I'm afraid I must leave you with these dark thoughts but I believe Sirius will want to see you. He's missed his own world greatly." Dumbledore gave her a small smile before exiting into the hall.

"Wait!"

Dumbledore paused and looked back.

"What about me... I mean this world's Hermione. Where is she?"

Dumbledore grew even more somber if it was possible. Then came back to Hermione's bedside and gently laid his hand on her shoulder. "After Harry began to take Voldemort's place he... well he killed many people and - "

Hermione's face paled, "No."

"I believe he saw you... I mean Ron and _her _as reminders. He killed them." His voice had become soft and gentler than she had ever heard it but Hermione was too terrified to even acknowledge him again. "I should not have told you..."

Harry had killed her. Maybe not _her_ Harry. But here was a Harry that did not see her as a lifelong friend but someone worthless. Someone to kill.

It wasn't until Dumbledore had left several minutes later that Hermione ran to the bathroom and emptied her stomach in the porcelain bowl. The reality of her situation the only thing that could settle in her stomach.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own HP.**

-o-O-o-

**Chapter Two**

It felt like hours before Hermione was finally able to pick herself up off the bathroom floor, wash her mouth out in the sink and collapse on the bed. Looking around the room she had a feeling she was not in Grimmauld Place or The Burrow. Of course, if everything Dumbledore had told her was true, neither would be safe. The Order would have had to find new headquarters and have the Weasleys relocated. Sadness welled in her chest but she brushed it away.

The door was suddenly opened and Ginny entered the dimly lit room.

"Hello," Hermione said uncertainly. It was strange. This was Ginny and yet... there was something very different about her. It wasn't surprising considering what everyone must be going through with Harry, but the haunted expression on Ginny's face was unsettling.

"Hi," Ginny said shyly. She slowly made her way over to Hermione's side. On the bed she set some clothes and on the nightstand she set a bowl of what looked like soup. As she busied herself with these Ginny stole glances at Hermione. Hermione tried to give her reassuring smiles but Ginny would only look away. Dumbledore's last words about her dead doppelganger came back to Hermione. She gripped her sheets and stayed silent as Ginny almost ran to the door to leave.

"Ginny?"

Ginny flinched but turned back, "Yes?"

Hermione was unsure why she had stopped her friend, she felt... _responsible_ somehow. That she should comfort Ginny, but what could she possibly say? She couldn't really understand what the girl was going through and she was not actually friends with _this _Ginny. The Ginny she knew was far away from here...

"Never mind," Hermione said at last.

Ginny was grasping the door knob firmly, as if eager, but unable, to leave. Then she flung it open and sprinted out, leaving the door slightly ajar.

Hermione sighed as she stood and closed the door. She didn't bother to glance down the hall. She didn't want to see Ginny's fleeing back. At this moment her Weasleys at home were probably sitting down to their mandatory Sunday dinner. Imagining the scene of Harry, Ginny, Ron, George and the other surviving Weasleys joking and laughing at dinner, was both heartbreaking and reassuring. Hermione took the clothes Ginny had brought and ignored the food. She was too full of nerves to eat.

After she'd changed into the clean robes Hermione happened to look up into the mirror and almost jumped out of her skin. The girl staring back at her was unrecognizable. Dirt was smeared across her cheeks and crusted in her hair. Embarrassed that she hadn't even realized the state of herself and that everyone in the Order had seen her looking like a mess, Hermione went about finding some soap.

"Hermione?"

The girl jumped, her eyes glazed as if she had been thinking of something far away. "Sirius!" She ran her hands through her bushy hair and glanced at her reflection mirror over the sink. She turned on the faucet and began scrubbing her face vigorously.

"Sorry, the old ministry building's pretty dirty."

Hermione looked over at Sirius uncomprehendingly as she scrubbed. He sighed, "The Ministry fell pretty soon after Harry - " Sirius seemed unwilling to finish this sentence, " Dumbledore told you right?"

"Yeah," Hermione said softly, "he told me."

They were uncomfortably silent for a few moments while Hermione returned to scrubbing her face, arms and anywhere else she could reach.

"Anyway, when you landed here, you were by the Veil in the ruins of the Ministry building. Same as me." Sirius gave her a small smile. "Course, they thought I was a Death Eater when I first showed up. Sirius Two had just died so - "

"Sirius Two?" Hermione asked.

"It's how I distinguish between us. Obviously, I'm Sirius One and this world's Sirius is number two. I mean, _was_ number two."

"So you think Dumbledore's theory is correct? About the alternate realities?"

Sirius shrugged again, "It's the only thing that makes a little bit of sense."

"And they've been looking all this time to get you home and they haven't found anything?" Hermione was skeptical. Sirius had been here nine years and they'd found _nothing_? Was there even anything to find or would she be stuck here forever as well? And who was to say they even were_ in_ an alternate reality, maybe she'd gone round the bend.

"We haven't looked all that hard to be honest... "

Hermione stopped rubbing at a tiny stain on her right cheek that'd been giving her trouble. "Not trying? What do you mean?"

Sirius' expression had become dark, his brow furrowed and he stopped leaning against the door, he looked a little scary, she could picture him looking like that in Azakaban, glaring at the Dementors and always having to fight to stay sane, "I'm not leaving."

"What?" Hermione yelped.

"Not until I've helped them figure out how to stop Harry," he amended quickly.

Hermione's scrubbing turned vicious, "But what if there's nothing we _can_ do? Are we just supposed to stay here until Harry dies of old age? And what exactly do you expect you can do? You honestly think you could _stop_ him?"

"I didn't say anything about you," Sirius said fiercely, he was grinding his teeth and a muscle in his jaw was jumping furiously, "You're going home the second we figure out how to send you back," he said it as if this was the most obvious answer in the world and Hermione grew irritated that he was dismissing her so easily. He'd completely ignored her questions about his motives for staying here.

Hermione scoffed, "You're missing the point. What are you _doing_ here Sirius? Don't you care about our Harry at all? How do you think he felt? He thought you were _dead_, Sirius! And you've been sitting here without even trying to get back to him? You'd think I could go back without you? Harry would never forgive me for losing you a second time," the more she spoke the angrier she became. Even the thought that Harry and Ron thought _she_ was dead now was heartbreaking. Sirius really thought he could just hideaway here forever? Didn't he miss Harry at all? As angry as he looked Hermione couldn't imagine him angrier than she was at that moment. How could Sirius be so _selfish_?

"All I know is I'm leaving the first opportunity I get and I'm taking you with me."

They glared at each other, both too stubborn to break down. Sirius was almost shaking with anger but she could also see some other emotion flickering in his gray eyes. Perhaps her accusations had been harsh but they were also true and she wasn't about to take it back.

He suddenly spun away from her. He moved so fast out the door she was unable to call him back before the door slammed shut.

-o-O-o-


End file.
